Projectile fabricating apparatus



Feb. 21, 1961 M. J. .SCHULTE ETAL PROJECTILE FABRICATING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 7, 1956 //V l EN7'02 MAPS/ML J. JCHUL r5 GEORGE ADOUGLAJ EUJJ'ELL H. LUDEMAN/V BY/2m twang/171');

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M. J. SCHULTE ETAL 2,972,410

PROJECTILE FABRICATING APPARATUS Feb. 21, 1961 Filed Sept. 7, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 m //v/E/v T025 J5 MMJ/ML J. JGHUL TE 39 5502 5 A. 0006015 05.55 LL h. LUDEMAN/V eb 21, 19 v M. J. SCHULTE ETAL 2,

PROJECTILE FABRICATING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 7, 1956 4 sheets-sheet s m: mum

//v VEN ran a mzsmz. J. SGHUL rs 50/265 A. DOUGLAS I 541 g .54 E0555 1. H.LUOEMAN/V 35 15 Z 9 EWW rMWA T United States Patent() PROJECTILE FABRICATING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 7, 1956, Ser. No. 608,504

20 Claims. (Cl. 209-82) This invention relates to a sorting device and more particularly to a device for sorting small articles.

Articles of the type to be sorted by the subject apparatus may be used as projectiles in small caliber ammunition cartridges. A small caliber cartridge has a cup-like cartridge case with an open end in which is secured the projectile. An explosive charge for driving the projectile is contained in the cup and a detonator for igniting the explosive charge is secured in the base of the cup. In order to obtain consistent ballistic characteristics from the same type of cartridges it is necessary that the projectile fall within certain allowable tolerances. The most important of these tolerances is the weight of the projectile which may be determined by its'external configuration. Such projectiles are normally solid lead or steel and are commonly referred to as slugs. They are usually cylindrical in shape with a tapered sub stantially conical leading nose end and a flat opposite trailing end. Because cartridges are manufactured in large quantities, the slugs or projectiles must be accurately sorted in great numbers in a simple and inexpensive manner. If improperly formed slugs are fed into a cartridge assembling machine, the machine is likely to cease to function because it cannot properly handle the defective slugs, resulting in the stoppage of an assembly line. Should an improperly formed slug be assembled into a finished cartridge, the finished cartridge will inevitably be rejected, resulting in a much greater loss and reduced operational efiiciency over that which would be realized if the defective slug had been eliminated during routing sorting of the slugs.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an eflicient means for sorting small articles.

Another object of this invention is'to provide a dependable sorting mechanism which is simple in operation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a sortting mechanism which may be easily converted to sorting articles of different sizes.

Additional objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic right-side view of an embodiment of the sorting device operatively secured to a base;

Figure 2 is a schematic sectional view taken on the line 2-2 in Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a schematic view looking down on the sorte bed in the direction indicated by the arrow 3 in Figure 1, with an outer cover broken away to more clearly show the details of the sorter;

Figure 4 is a schematic sectional view taken on the line 4-4 in Figure 2, and illustrating to an enlarged scale, a portion of the sorter bed shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a schematic partial sectional view to an enlarged-scale of a portion of Figure 4;

- Figure 6 is a schematic partial sectional side view taken on the line 6-6 in Figure 5; Figure 7 is a schematic partial sectional side view looking in the direction Of the arrow 7 in 155M95 ice Figure 8 is a schematic plan view showing a portion of Figure 5 with a slug properly emplaced in a slot;

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on-the line 9-9 in Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a schematic sectional view taken on the line 10-10 in Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a schematic view similar to Figure 8, but illustrating a slug improperly positioned in a slot;

Figure 12 is a schematic partial sectional view taken on the line 12-12 in Figure 11;

Figure 13 is a schematic sectional view taken on the line 13-13 in Figure 12;

Figure 14 is a schematic partial sectional view of a portion of Figure 4;

Figure 15 is a schematic partial sectional view taken on the line 15-15 in Figure 14;

Figure 16 is a schematic sectional view taken on the line 16-16 in Figure 4;

Figure 17 is a schematic sectional view taken on the line 17-17 in Figure 4;

Figure 18 is a detailed view of a slot;

Figure 19 is a schematic side view of a portion of Figure 4; and

Figure 20 is a perspective view of a portion of the sorting device.

Briefly, the device comprises an inclined rotating ring 30 having a plurality of slots 34 which receive slugs 35 to be sorted. As the ring 30 rotates, each slug 35 passes a first station 154, located on the upward sweep of the ring, and any slugs which are not properly seated in the slots are ejected by an ejection spring device 54 so that the slugs passing this spring device are properly oriented in their respective slots. Gravity and inertia position the slugs rearwardly in their respective slots and at a second station 165, a jet of air is discharged through a hole 38 in the bottom of each slot and slugs of proper size and shape are ejected from the slots. Should a slug be too short the'jet of air will not impinge the slug with suflicient force to eject it from the slot. The slugs ejected by this jet of air are within acceptable tolerances and fall into a receiver and pass out a discharge tube 82 into a bin 83. Slugs 35 which are too short, and therefore do not adequately fill their respective slots 34, pass to a final station 187 where they are ejected by another jet of air inclined downwardly into the slot to scoop the slug out of the slot. Short slugs so ejected fall into another receiver 88 and pass from the machine through tube 89 to be remelted and cast into new slugs.

More specifically, the apparatus includes a base member or stand 1 to which is secured a variable speed motor 2 and the sorting apparatus 3. The sorting apparatus includes a body 4 having an inclined circular surface 5 having a boss 6 at its center and a slug receiving hopper 7 discharging through opening 8 in the inclined surface 5. The surface 5 is preferably inclined about 45.

A rotating shaft 9 passes through the center of the boss 6. The upper end of the shaft is threaded and immediately adjacent the threads is a seat 10 for a driving member 11 having spider-like driving arms 13. The driving member 11 is keyed to the shaft 9. The seat is provided by a reduced portion of the shaft and a flange 14 extending transversely outwardly from the shaft. The flange engages the upper end of the boss and provides a bearing for supporting the shaft on the boss 6. A suitable anti-friction bearing may be provided between the flange and the upper portion of the boss .if desired. Agear 15 encased in housing 16 isvsecured to the lower end of the shaft and is engaged by 'a pinion 17 mounted one second shaft 18 journaled in the body 4 of the sorting device. A V-type pulley 19 is attached to the pinion shaft. The variable speed motor Z jsprouptcgl on the base and a pulley belt 21 passes over a V-type pulley 22 on the motor shaft and around the pulley 19 on the pinion shaft to drive the apparatus.

The ends of the driving arms 13 are provided with threaded apertures 23 which receive threaded ends of rods '25. The other end of each of the rods has a threaded socket 26. Bolts 27 pass through aligned apertures in a base ring 23 and a slotted profile ring 30, and are threaded into one of the sockets 26. The apertures 31 in the profile ring 30 are elongated for a purpose to be described hereinafter. Thus, by rotating the shaft the base ring 29 and profile ring 33 are rotated. These rings are supported primarily by the bearing between the .fiange 14 on the main shaft 9 and the upper surface of the boss 6.

The circular inclined surface of the body 4 has an under-cut portion 33 adjacent its periphery and concentric with the boss 6. The rotatable base ring 229 and profile ring 39 are seated in the under-cut portion. The profile ring 39 has two rows of staggered slots 34 and is superimposed on the base ring 29. The slots 34 have a shape conforming generally to the shape of the acceptable slugs 35 to be sorted. Small knobs 36 extending upwardly from the profile ring 30 agitate the slugs 35 as they are discharged through the hopper opening 8 and fall against the profile ring 30 so that some slugs will always be available to fall into the slots 34 in a properly oriented position. The rings turn clockwise and the leading ends 34a of the slots 34 are tapered to a point, whereas the trailing ends 34b of the slots 34 are substantially squared off. The slots are slightly larger than the acceptable slugs 35 and, for example, may have the following dimensions as compared with an acceptable slug. A typical lead slug 35 may be 1.00 inch long with a substantially cylindrical trailing portion averaging about .264 of an inch diameter, and an arch generally tapered leading portion having a pointed end of approximately -086 of an inch diameter. The trailing end of the slug is normally arched, but so far as this description is concerned, it may be considered as fiat. Also, the nose portion of the slug is normally substantially cylindrical for perhaps .01 of an inch, but for the purposes of this description the nose may be considered as pointed. The slot for such a slug is preferably 1% of an inch long and having a tapered leading portion extending along the longitudinal axis of the slug approximately 1% of an inch from a inch radius to a straight trailing portion between .278 and .288 inch in width. The slots 34 should be slightly thicker than half the thickness of the slugs 35 with the slots cut completely through the profile ring 30 and with the base ring 29 providing the bottoms of the slots. For the previously described slug the slot should be approximately .156 inch deep. The profile ring 30 is fixed by bolts 27 on the base ring 29 which is seated in the under-cut portion 33 of the inclined surface 5 and both of these rings rotate together about a concentric axis through the boss 6 in the center of the inclined surface 5. The bolts 27 pass through closely fitting apertures in the base ring 29 and through the elongated apertures in the profile ring 30. The base ring may also be provided with fixed pegs 39 extending upwardly through closely fitting elongated aperture 41 in .the profile ring 39, as shown in Figure 17. The top of the profile ring 36 is fiush with the inclined surface 5 of the body 4. Holes 38 are drilled through the base ring 29 adjacent the tapered leading ends 34a of each slot 34. The fit between the bolts 27 and the pegs 39 and their respective apertures is such as to permit circumferential adiustment between the base ring 29 and the profile ring 33 so that the position of the holes 38 in the base ring may be properly located with respect to the leading ends of the slots 34 in the profile ring 30 to adapt the assembly for use in sorting different length "sings 35. For the previously described slug 35 and slot 34 the hole 38 should be about 1 of an inch in diameter and approximately 4; of an inch from the leading end of the slot and off center approximately 414 of an inch toward the axis of rotation for a purpose to be described hereinafter.

The hopper 7 has an inclined chute 39 terminating in the large opening 8 in the inclined surface 5 of the body 4. A door 41 is secured to a shaft 42 mounted in the hopper 7 and controls the level of the slugs passing through the hopper and onto the inclined surface 5, and the pro-file ring 30. The amount the door 41 is open or closed is controlled by' a quadrant 43 on the shaft 42 and a set screw 45 screwed to the hopper 7.

A scmicylindrical housing 46 is secured to the boss 6 by a collar 47 on an under-cut shoulder 49 on the top of the boss, and is fixed thereto by a set screw 50. The cylindrical side wall 51 of the housing is very slightly spaced from the topof the rotating profile ring 30 and retains the slugs 35 on the profile ring 30 and inclined surface 5. The top wall of the housing has a cut-out 53 so that the slugs may be observed on the inclined surface.

A spring device 54 is secured to the housing 46 at a point about midway in the upward travel of the profile ring 30. This spring device includes a pair of spring arms 55 and 56, each having an end portion 55a and 56a bent to very lightly engage the top surface of the profile ring 39. The end portion 55a on the first arm 55 engages the outer row of slots 34 and the end portion 56a on the arm 56 engages the inner row of slots 34. As shown in Figure 5, the end portions 55a and 56a of each of the arms overlap the outer periphery 340 of the walls 34d of the slots 34 very slightly, and approximately the thickness of the spring Wire arm, or a slightly greater amount. All the springs in this device were fabricated from piano Wire .062 of an inch in diameter. Figure 6 shows the end extremities 55b and 56b bent upwardly and away from the slot. The extremities 55b and 56b of the arms must not be hook shaped for this could cause an arm to dig into a slug 35 and flip the slug from the slot 34 with a great force and also damage the spring arm. The arms are joined together by an eye 58 and fixed by a bolt 59 passing through this eye and threaded onto the housing 46. Between the eye 58 and the ends of the arms 55b and 56!) the wires are shaped so as not to interfere with the other row of slots 34 or slugs 35, and they should further be shaped to avoid engaging the agitating knobs 36 on the profile ring 30, or the pegs 39 extending through the profile ring.

Referring to Figures 8-13, the ends 55b and 56b of the arms are so shaped that when a slug is properly oriented in a slot 34, that is, when the slug 35 is so positioned in the slot 34 that its tapered nose 35a is in the tapered portion 34a of the slot, the ends of the spring Wires will not touch the slug or will be forced outwardly by the slug, as indicated in Figures 8-10. Referring to Figures 11-13, to eject an improperly oriented slug from a slot, that is, a slug which has its leading tapered end 35a positioned in the trailing rectangular end 34b of the slot, the ends 55a and 56a of the arms 55 and 56 must be so shaped that they Will engage under the protruding cylindrical end 35b of the slug which is resting on the tapered portion 34a of the slot 34 and eject the slug 35 from the slot 34.

A second spring device 61 is fixed on the circular inclined surface 5 of the body 4 by a bolt at a point past the first spring device 54 with respect to the rotation of the profile ring 30. The spring device 61 also has two arms 62 and 63, but neither of the arms need engage the profile ring 30. The function of this spring device is to remove any slugs 35 which may be bypassed by an improperly functioning first spring device 54, and more particularly slugs which have been unseated by the first spring device; but which are still partially in the slots.

' The second spring device 61 has primarily a secondary function in merely removing slugs which have alreadybeen displaced in their slots but have not been ejected; The adjustment of the second spring device 61 is not of the same critical nature as is the adjustment of the first spring device 54. g A compressed air discharge orifice 65 is fixed in the under-cut portion 33 of the inclined surface 5 of the body 4 at approximately 45- from the top of the circular inclined surface in a direction opposite that of the rotation of the rings. As shown in Figure 16, a tube 66 connects the orifice 65 with a source of compressed air. The small holes 38 in the base ring 29 which open into the slots 34 in the profile ring 30 successively pass over the orifice 65 so that a jet of air is discharged through the holes 38 and against the slugs 35 in the slots 34. The holes 38 in the base ring 29 are at their top cylindrical and approximately A of an inch in diameter and at their bottom they flair outwardly with a taper to an opening to about of an inch. The orifice in the body is provided by a brass plug 67 slidably positioned in a hole 68 through the body. An aperture 69 passes longi tudinally through the plug 67 and opens into a countersunk upper face 70 of the plug. The upper face 71 of the plug 67 engages the base ring 29 with a firm sealing engagement. The under surface of the base ring'should be polished to prevent scoring the plug surface 71. A resilient plug 73, such as rubber or the like, having an aperture 74 aligned with the aperture 69 in the plug 67 is positioned below the plug 67 in the hole 68in the body 4. A fitting 76 is threaded into the hole 68 and cornpresses the resilient plug 73 holding the brass plug 67 in firm engagement with the under side of the base ring 29. The air supply tube 66 is connected with the fitting 76 in any suitable manner as by the threaded connection and coupling 78 shownin the drawing. As therings 29 and 30 rotate, the tapered portion of the holes 38 in the base ring successively pass over the orifice 65, and a jet of air is discharged through the hole 38.' I

For slugs of the aforementioned specification, an air pressure of about 65 p.s.i. discharged through the $4 of an inch hole 38 in the base ring is preferred. As the slugs- 35 move upwardly in an inclined position, gravity and the inertiaof their forward movement cause them to be positioned against the rear wall of the slot 34. If the slug 35 is of proper length it will be ejected from the slot 34 by this blast of air. If the slug is too short or otherwise too small to properly fill theslot, the blast of air will skirt by the nose34a of the slug and the slug will remain in the slot. The side walls 34d of the slots are substantially perpendicular to the base of the slot which is provided by the base ring 29. Because of the inclination of the rings 29 and 30, the height of the side walls of the slots must be such that as the slugs approach the top of the inclined travel of the rings they will not voluntarily roll out of the slots. It is therefore preferable that the height of the slot walls 3411 be greater thanhalf the transverse thickness of the cylindrical portion 35b of the slug 35. The profile ring 30 should be about .155 of an inch thick for the described slug 35. The air jet discharged into the slots 34 through the holes 38 in the base ring 29 is substantially perpendicular to the inclination of the rings, and as the slug 35 is impinged by this jet, it is forced out of the slot in a direction generally perpendicular to the base of the slot and falls to the side of the slot toward the center of the rings 29 and 30. The pressure of the jet is suflicient to normally project the slugs completely away from the slots and generally toward the axis of rotation of the rings. Because of the inclination of the rings, as the slugs 35 approach the orifice. 65 in the body, they tend to roll'downwardly against the inner wall 34d ofthe slot 34. Therefore, as shown in Figure 18, it is preferable that the holes 38 in the base ring 29 be positioned slightly inwardly and 'toward'the axis of rotation'of the rings, with-respect to the longitudinal axis of the slots '34. Slugs 35 which are ejected at this station are within acceptable tolerances they slide down the inclined surface and are discharged through a tube 82 into a bin 83.

Slugs 35 which are too short to be ejected at. the previous station are carried to approximately the top of the inclined surface 5, at which point a downwardly inclined blast of air unseats the slug 35 from the slot 34 in a scoop-like manner. This blast of air is discharged from a pair of orifices 86 on the end of a tube 87 which leads to a compressed air supply. Each jet discharged from the orifices 86 is directed toward one of the rows of slots 34 in the rotating profile ring 30. Under the described conditions, this air pressure in tube 87 should be about 20 p.s.i. passing through a pair of small holes of about .040-045 inch diameter at an angle of about 45 to the horizontal. Unsatisfactory slugs unseated at this station pass into another opening 88 in the receiver 81 and are discharged from the sorting apparatus through a tube 89 in the same maner as are the acceptable slugs which were discharged at the prior station.

Another spring device 92 may be secured to the inclined surface 5 between the last two mentioned stations' to flip out of the slots 34 any slugs 35 which were unseated by the air blast passing through the hole 38 in the base plate 29, but which did not fall from the slots 34, and to prevent any slugs which were not properly ejected from the slots from flying forward toward the reject opening 88. As shown in Figures 4 and 19, this spring device has two arms 93 and 94, one of which is spaced a substantial distance from the profile ring 30 and flips out of the slots any slugs which are erect in the slots, and a second arm which is positioned relatively close to the upper surface of the rotating profile ring to engage any slugs which have been lifted just slightly out of the slots. This spring device acts primarily as a fence in preventing displaced slugs from moving out of the range of the opening 80.

The receiver 81 has a screen 97 covering the upper open end of the receiver to provide a substantially closed area in which the slugs 35 may be ejected from the slots 34 by the air jets. The screen 97 merely prevents any slugs 35 which are improperly ejected from the slots 34 from flying away from the sorting device.

The driving member 11 and rotating rings 29 and 30 of the sorting device may be enclosed by a casing 98,'positioned over the driving arms 13 and held in place by lugs on the profile ring 30, to further prevent any slugs 35 from flying away from the sorting device and to prevent foreign matter from entering the sorting device; The cover 98 may be provided with a transparent'top wall 99 so that the operation of th sorting device may be observed.

The receiver 81 is positioned on the inclined surface 5 and has two tubular portions 101 and 102 extending downwardly through openings in the inclined surface. The tubular portion 101 and receiver opening 80 are separated from the tubular portion 102 and receiver opening 88 by a wall 105 which extends through the center of the receiver 81 and outwardly over the profile ring 30. The receiver 81 has side walls 106 and 107. Side wall 106 of the hopper also extends outwardly over the profile ring 30. Each of the walls 105 and 106 has a notch 108 in its bottom edge spaced from the profile ring 30 to permit the slugs to pass thereunder. The other wall 107 is shorter and does not extend over the base ring 29. The screen 97 should engage the outer edge of each of these three walls to provide separated substantially closed chambers 80 and 88 for receiving the slugs 35 discharged from the slots 34 by the jets. In beginning operation of the sorting device, the variable speed motor 2 is turned on and the lineal speed of the slots 34 in the profile ring 30 are adjusted to between 100 and 125 ft./min. For slugs of the aforementioned specification, a speed of about 105 ft./min. is preferable. The rotating rings 29 and 3t) revolve at approximately 10 to 30 r.p.m. and preferably about 15 rpm. so that centrifugal force has little or no effect on the operation. The slugs 35 to be sorted are then poured into the hopper mouth 7 and pass down chute 39 onto the inclined surface and the profile ring 30. As .the rings 29 and 30 rotate, the slugs 35 are stirred by the knobs 36 on the rotating profile ring 3d and fall down into the slots 34. Some of the slugs 35 will be properly oriented in the slots, whereas other slugs 35 will have their base ends 35b in the leading ends 34a of the slots 34. As the inclined surface 5 and semicylindrical housing 46 fill with slugs 35, the control door 41 in the hopper 7 is adjusted to maintain an adequate level of slugs on the profile ring 30. The slugs 35 which are seated in the slots. 34 pass upwardly toward the first spring device 54. Slugs 35 which are improperly seated in the slots 34, for example, slugs having their rear portions 35b in the leading ends 34a of the slots, are removed from the slots by the spring arms 55 and 56. Any slugs unseated but not ejected by the spring arms 55 and 56 will be removed by the arms 62 and 63 of the second spring device 61. However, when the arms of the first spring device 54 are properly adjusted, the slugs 35 will not bypass the arms. The slugs ejected at this station fall down into the supply of slugs being fed from the hopper 7 onto the inclined surface 5 and the profile ring 30. As the slugs 35 which are properly oriented in the slots 34 begin moving up the inclined surface, they will slide by gravity to the rear of the slots. The inertia of the moving slugs also helps to position them in the rear of their respective slots. 7 Because of the upward inclination of the profile ring at this point in its rotational travel the slugs remain in the rear of the slots until they pass over the air jet orifice 65 in the body 4. After passing the spring ejectors 54 and 61, all slugs 35 remaining in the slots 34 are properly seated therein with their tapered leading ends 35a in the tapered leading ends 3410 of the slots. The slugs are now properly oriented in the slots, and pass over the compressed air orifice in the body. As each hole 38 in the base ring 29 passes over the orifice 65, a jet of air 1s discharged upwardly through the hole 38 in the base of slot 34. If the slug 35 is of the proper length and dimension, the air jet will blow the slug out of the slot. Should the slug be too short, the air will skirt past the nose 35a of the slug and the slug will remain in the slot. The slugs which are blown from the slots at this station fall into the receiver opening 86 and pass through the tube 82 into the bin 33. These slugs are within allowable tolerances and are suitable for inclusion in cartridges. The slugs 35 still remaining in the slots 34 move past the top of the inclined surface 5 and are removed by the downwardly inclined jet of air which in effect is driven into each slot 34 between the slug 35 and the base ring 29 forcing the slug out of the slot in a scoop-like manner. These slugs pass into receiver opening 88, through the tube 89 and out of the sorting device. They may be remelted and formed into new slugs. After passing this final station, all the slots have been emptied of slugs. The slots now move down the inclined surface and pick up new slugs at the bottom of the inclined surface and the entire cycle is repeated.

The subject apparatus rejected approximately 2 3 more defective slugs than other previously known and accepted slug sorting devices, and the entire cartridge assembly efficiency increased approximately 4 percent be? cause of the increased eificiency of the subject apparatus in sorting defective slugs from slugs within acceptable tolerances.

'I-heinvention has been described with particular reference to a sorting device for use in sorting metal pro: jectiles or slugs. However, it is equally applicable for sorting many other articles when the configuration and, length of the article is a criterion inproperly sorting the article. Although air is the preferred medium for ejecting the. slugs from the slots, a jet of anysort may be utilized and the jet may be either a liquid or a gas. Various means may be utilized to drive the rotating rings 29 and 30. For example, the peripheral edges of the rings may have gear teeth out therein and the rings driven by a pinion engaging these. gear teeth thereby eliminating the driving arm 11, rotating shaft 9, and related elements. Proper adjustment of the first spring device 54 is'necessary in ejecting slugs improperly seated in the slots and in properly orienting the slugs inthe slots, but it should be noted that once the slugs have been properly oriented in the slots, the two succeeding jets are not dependent on the springs, nor is either air.

jet dependent on the other air jet to accomplish its in: dependent function. For example, the acceptable slugs could be ejected from the'slots in some manner other than by the first air jet and the second air jet would still function to remove any rejected slugs remaining in the slots.

Although this invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments and details, various modifications and changes will be apparent to one skilled in the art, and the invention is therefore not to be limited to such embodiments and details except as set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for sorting articles, said apparatus comprising article positioning means to permit said articles to pass a plurality of stations in sequence, means to bring said articles into cooperating relationship with each of said plurality of stations the first station comprising means to eject from said positioning means any articles not properly oriented on said positioning means for sorting atthe subsequent stations, the second station comprising means to eject from said positioning means all remaining articles which are within prescribed tolerances and means to collect the articles so ejected from said positioning means, and the third station comprising a second means to eject from said positioning means the remaining articles not within allowable tolerances.

2. In the apparatus of claim Lsaid first station means comprising a spring wire adapted to eject from said positioning means articles not properly oriented thereon.

3. In the apparatus of claim 1, said second station means comprising a jet adapted to eject articles within allowable tolerances from said positioning means.

4. In the apparatus of claim 3, Said positioning means comprising a slot having a bottom wall with a hole passing therethrough, and said jet discharging through said hole and into said slot.

5. In the apparatus of claim 4, said hole being in the leading portion of said slot as said slot and said stations pass each other.

6. In the apparatus of claim 1, said third station means comprising a jet to eject the remaining articles from said positioning means.

7. In the apparatus of claim 6, said positioning means comprising a slot to receive an article to be sorted, and said jet being directed into said slot to scoop said article from said slot.

*8. In the apparatus of claim 1, said positioning means comprising aring rotating with respect to said stations.

'9. In the apparatus of claim 8, said rotating ring hav; ing at least'one slotto receive an article to be sorted.

1,0. In a sortingdevice, a body and a rotating ring mounted on said body, the axis of rotation-of said ring being other than perpendicular to the horizontal, slots in said ring to receive articlesto be sorted, a first means fixed to said body to eject any articles not properly oriented in said slots, and a second means farther advanced in the path of travel of said rotating ring in cooperating relationship with said slots in said rotating ring to eject from said slots articles Within acceptable tolerances. a

11. In the sorting device of claim 10, means to position said articles in the downwardly inclined portions of said slots as said slots are moving upwardly toward the last said means.

12. In the sorting device of claim 10, the last said means comprising holes in the base of said slots and a jet, for the flow of a fluid in cooperating relationship with said holes in the base of said slots and adapted to impinge said article to drive said article out of said slot,

13. In the sorting device of claim 12, the last said means including a hole through the bottom wall of each of said slots and jet discharge means in said body and sealed with respect to said ring to discharge a jet medium into said holes, said discharge means comprising a plug urged against the under side of said rotating ring, said plug having fluid conveying means therethrough whereby the fluid discharged from said hole is maintained against the under side of said ring.

14. In the sorting device of claim 13, said plug being urged against said ring by a resilient element compressed against the under side of said plug.

15. The method of sorting like articles comprising, presenting said articles for positioning in oriented slots having openings of a size and shape conforming to the largest acceptable complimentary configuration of said article, each of said openings fully receiving only one article of said articles only when said one article is properly shaped, properly sized, and properly oriented ejecting from said slots articles not properly so received in said slots, whereby all articles remaining in said slots are oriented and seated in said slots for subsequent processing, and subsequently first ejecting from said slots only articles within given size tolerances subsequently ejecting from said slots the remaining articles therein and then collecting the remaining articles from said slots as articles below said tolerances.

16. The method of claim wherein said first ejection is by a fluid jet projected through .a hole adjacent one end of said slot while urging the article received therein against the other end of the slot.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the articles below tolerances are ejected by a fluid jet ejecting said articles from the slot.

18. In a sorting device, a member having slots of a size and shape conforming to the complementary configuration of the articles to be sorted, means to position the article into engagement in said slots, a hole in the bottom wall of said slot near the rim of the said slot, and means for the intermittent passage of a compressed fluid, intermittently cooperating with the said hole, the last said means and said hole being adapted to permit the passage of a compressedfluid to impinge on the surface of the said article, at the edge of the said article, when the last said means and the said hole are in a cooperating position.

19. In the sorting device of claim 18, the last said means comprising a jet.

20. In an article sorting device, a conveyor ring mounted for rotation about a non-horizontal axis disposed at an angle to the vertical, selector slots arranged around said ring and adapted to receive articles when said slots are disposed in downwardly inclined portions of said ring when said inclined portions are moving upwardly with rotation of said ring, each of said slots being of a peripheral shape conforming to at least a portion of the shape of said articles and being between opposed ends with spacing of a size substantially equal to the maximum acceptable tolerances of a dimension of said articles, said inclined portions of said slots being such as to position a properly received article against one of said slot ends under the force of gravity, each of said slots having ejection means adjacent the opposite end of said slot spaced from said first end a distance substantially equal to the minimum acceptable tolerance of said dimension, means for actuating said ejecting means whereby any article substantially overlying said means is ejected from said slot and any excessively undersized article falling short of said ejecting means will remain in said slot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 707,329 Hormby Aug. 19, 1902 1,868,805 Purinton July 26, 1932' 1,921,863 Bickley Aug. 8, 1933 1,985,345 Gebhardt Dec. 25, 1934 1,989,924 Hill Feb. 5, 1935 2,033,090 Barker Mar. 3, 1936 2,116,398 Makenny May 3, 1938 2,152,758 7 Cox Apr. 4, 1939 2,278,599 Veit Apr. 7, 1942 2,300,124 King et a1. Oct. 27, 1942 2,421,484 Diamond June 3, 1947 2,472,718 Mullen June 7, 1949 OTHER REFERENCES Automatic Sorters for Aircraft Rivets, American Machinist, July 8, 1943. 

